Rubber cloth or fabric



' UNITED STATES A PATENT I OFFICE.

FRANK E. ALDRICH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RUBBER CLOTH OR FABRIC.

, srEcIFicATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,657, dated August 14, 1883;

2'0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. ALDRICH, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Mas sachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rubber Cloths or Fabrics, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled inthe art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same. a

My invention relates more especially to l means for ornamenting the cloth or fabric; and

it consists in a rubber cloth or fabric composed wholly or in part of rubber, having one or both of its surfaces provided with useful or ornamental designs or figures printed or stamped thereon with an ink or compound of a different color or shade from the body of the fabric by means of rollers, blocks, or in any other suitable manner, the ink or compound preferably containing rubber, caoutohouc,

. gutta-percha, or some analogous material, as

hereinaftermore fully set forth and claimed.

In carryingout myinvention I take an ordinary rubber cloth, preferably gossamer rubber cloth, or any fabric composed wholly or in part ,of rubber, and print or stamp its finished surface or surfaces with an ink or compound of a different color or shade from the body of the goods by means of engraved rollers, blocks, types, dies, or in any other suitable manner. I deem it preferable,- however, to use rollers, one or more being employed, according to the'numbcr of colors to be applied, and the cloth passed in cuts through the printing-machine after the manner of printing calico and similar goods.

The ink or compound employed in printing the figures or designs on the cloth or fabric is prepared as follows: Take one-half pound of rubber or caoutcliouc, four quarts of naphtha, one-half pound of red lead, and one-eighth of an ounce of flowers of sulphur. Dissolve the gum in the naphtha, and then add and thoroughly mix the other ingredients therewith.

I do not confine myself to the exact proportions given, as these may be varied considerably without materially changing the nature of the compound; and, instead of naphtha, some othersolvent may be used for the rubber, if desired, although naphtha is deemed preferable; also, instead of the lead, litharge, pig- Application filed June 21, 15583. (Specimens) ments, shellac, ooher, lamp-black, or any other coloring-matter may. be employed, according to the shade or color it is desired to give the ink.

' After the cloth or fabric has been printed or stamped as described, it is dried by passing it over heated rollers, or by means of hot air in a properly heated room, or by exposing it to the suns rays in the open air, the latter being preferable on gossamer or light weight goods, after which it may be varnished, if desired, although varnish is not generally required when the ink used is compounded according to the foregoing formula;

The object of the sulphur is to render the ink vulcanizable when exposed to heat or tothe suns rays; but, instead of the flowers of sulphur, various other preparations of sulphur may be used for that purpose, if desired, and V accomplish substantially the same results. i

It will be obvious that the ink or compound described, containingalarge proportion of rubher, when applied to the rubber-covered surface of the cloth or to a rubber fabric, will become substantially integral therewith, thus rendering the imprinted figures or designs very durable or permanent, and better adapting the goods for use as carpeting and for purposes where they are subjected to wear than if printed with an ink or compound containing no rubber or analogous material.

I prefer to print or stamp the cloth or fabric while soft, sticky, or tacky, or before its surfaces are thoroughly dried or vulcanized, as the rubber of the ink and that of the cloth more readily assimilate or become amalother Letters Patent, the same is not herein claimed when in and of itselfconsidered.

It will be obvious that the cloth may be I coated or finished and printed on both of its sides, if desired; also, that a fabric composed wholly or in part of rubber may be readily, ornamented by printing one or both of its surfaces in substantially the same manner as that described for printing gossamer cloth or a fabrichaving a fibrous body.

It will also be obvious that the rubber in the ink serves to suspend and hold the lead or other pigment and coloring materials used, and thus render the colors of the figures and designs permanent.

By useful figures and designs I refer more especially to numbers and geometric figures,- such as would be imprinted upon the cloth for use inv covering chess or checker boards, 850.,- and by ornamental figures and designs, to flowers, plaids, checks, scroll-work, &c., or such as would be imprinted on. it. for use as carpeting, coverings, draperies, linings, &c., or for manufacturing coats, circular-cloaks, and other articles of wearing-apparel.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is Y '1. As an improved article of manufacture, a rubber cloth or fabric composed wholly or in part of rubber, having one or both of its surfaces printed or stamped with useful or ornamental designs or figures in an ink or printing compound of a different color or shade from the body of the cloth or fabric, substantially as set forth. v

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a rubber cloth'or fabric composed wholly or in part of rubber, having one or both of its surfaces printed or stamped with useful or ornamental designs or figures in an ink or printing compound of a different color or shade from the body of the cloth or fabric, said ink or compound being composed in part of rubber, caoutchouc, gutta-percha, or some analogous substance, and a coloring material or materials, substantially as specified.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a-rubber cloth or fabric composed wholly or in part of rubber, having one or both of its surfaces printed or stamped with useful or ornamental designs or figures in an ink or printing compound of a different color or shade from the body of the cloth or fabric, said ink or compound being composed in part of rubber, caoutchouc, gutta-percha, or some analogous substance, and containing sulphur or an ingredient for rendering the ink vulcanizable, substantially as set forth.

4. As an improved article of manufacture, a rubber cloth or fabric composed wholly or in part of rubber, having one or both of its surfaces printed or stamped with useful or or namental designs or figures in an ink or printing compound of a different color or shade from the body of the cloth orfabric, and varnished, substantially as specified.

5. As an improved article of manufacture, a rubber cloth or fabric composed wholly or in part of rubber, having one or both of its surfaces printed or stamped with useful or ornamental designs or figures in an ink or printing compound analogous to the coating of the cloth or body of the fabric and of a different color or shade therefrom, substantially as set forth.

6. As an improved article of manufacture, a rubber cloth or fabric composed Wholly or in part of rubber, having oneor both of .its surfaces printed or stamped with useful or ornamental designs or figures in an ink or print ing compound of a different color or shade from the body of the cloth or fabric, said ink or compound containing rubber and sulphur, or an ingredient for vulcanizing the rubber when subjected to heat or the suns rays, substantially as specified. v

7. As an improved article of 'manufacture, a rubber cloth or fabric composed wholly or in part of rubber, having one or both of its surfaces printed or stamped with useful or ornamental designs or figures in an ink or printing compound of a different color or shade from the body of the cloth or fabric, said ink or compound containing rubber, lead, and sulphur, or means, for vulcanizing the rubber when subjected to heat, substantially as set forth.

FRANK ALDRICH.

\Vitnesses:

O. A. SHAW, L. J. WHITE. 

